Stefan Wenger and I are co-hosting a beautiful workshop centered around the theme of Presence Through Play, in our dear friend Johanna's beautiful new retreat center near Lake Arenal. Using the tools of expandance mindful movement and comedy improv to get centered, get joyful, and get creative, we'll spend a week learning to love each moment and every part of ourselves, and we'll come home feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.

We'll also have the opportunity to eat incredible, home made, locally grown food, swim in the river on the property, lounge in hammocks, and get totally blissed out listening to the birds and feeling the warmth of the sun and the cool of the mountain breezes on our skin.

Sound good? Places are limited and already filling up. Check out the full website for all info or go straight here to book!

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I am currently traveling on the West Coast with a view to moving my business out here. I'm unavailable for sessions on the East Coast at the moment, however I'm happy to do Skype sessions with any of you who'd like to work remotely. Please e-mail me at rachel@rachelwynne.com to set up a session. Minimum time for a Skype session is 1 hour and costs $50.

I will let you know if / when I'm back in NYC. Keep de-cluttering! West Coast peeps hit me up if you want sessions!

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I gave a talk to the lovely people at Bhoomki Home in Brooklyn last week, and at the event I gave out a flyer with 10 Spring de-clutter tips to get started. Here they are now, for you:

1. Breathe! See the Big Picture: Be grateful that you have so much stuff that you need to get rid of some of it.

2. Start by tidying up, as much as possible. I make my bed, do the dishes and clear the floor first, even if it means stuffing things in the closet, as I need that floor space (read: head space) in order to make clear decisions when sorting through my stuff.

3. De-clutter by category, not location. (Marie Kondo ‘‘Konverts’’ will recognize this piece of wisdom).

4. Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need when starting a de-clutter project. Rule of thumb: double what you think you’ll need. Chances are you’ll use it.

5. Finish the job! If you’re sorting through and discarding clothes for example, build in time to donate, throw out, or sell your clothes (e.g. time to photograph and put them

online) as part of your session.

6. Materials for the Arts, an organization that works with two NY State Departments - Sanitation and Education - will take your donations to provide free materials to

musical instruments, working computers and office supplies, and lots more besides. You can learn more about becoming a donor, pick-ups etc at www.mfta.org

7. Only keep paperwork you actually need. The I.R.S. recommendations for keeping tax-related documents (7 years) can be overwhelming, but if you shed the documents

you don’t actually need, it’s a lot easier to keep track of what you do need!

8. Be kind to yourself. Many people beat themselves up before and during de-clutter sessions. Be conscious of your thoughts and do not beat yourself up for ‘‘not having

done this before now’’ or ‘‘keeping this for so long’’. Instead, celebrate that you’re doing it now!

9. Learn to trust your instincts. Friends or relatives nearby, saying ‘‘but you love that! You look so great in it!” or ‘‘but what if you decide you do need an ice cream maker?

It’s nearly summer!” can undermine your process. This is YOUR de-clutter, not theirs!

10. My tenth tip was to take a photo of the tip sheet I'd given and then throw it into the recycling. Remember when you are given a flyer for something, to can just take a photo with your phone and then let the paper go. This helps reduce paper clutter entering your house.

Tweet us your de-cluttering questions @RPWynne and @bhoomki OR bring them with you on Wednesday and I'll get to as many of them as I can! We'll have refreshments and I'm offering 10% off your first session with me if you book it at the event.

I'm facilitating a 4 day dance workshop and retreat in beautiful jungle surroundings at Lake Arenal, Costa Rica. Discover your body’s true potential - whatever your walk of life. Relax, rejuvenate and surprise yourself. This is a creative, holistic movement workshop designed to help you let go of preconceived limitations and get you moving in a safe and fun way! Explore where your movement and creativity come from. No prior dance experience is necessary.

Workshop dates:

Friday February 28th 2014Saturday March 1stSunday March 2ndMonday March 3rd

expandance is a healing movement technique that combines over a decade of Transforming Cellular Memory healing and facilitation with over 25 years of dance training and teaching.

The technique has helped many people overcome chronic pain, prevent injury, become more centered and less anxious, relax into the present moment, unblock creativity, learn how to work and move in a more collaborative manner, and overcome performance fear. This workshop is open to anyone wanting to take some time out for nurturing, peace and creativity in magical, warm Costa Rica. Enjoy home-made, locally-sourced, buffet-style healthy and delicious food, tropical birds and flowers, sun, and a beautiful place to stay at Lake Arenal, all at an incredibly reasonable price.

"My greatest lessons from expandance have ultimately been about fearlessness. The meditative technique goes beyond other types of sitting or moving meditation I've practiced. That is, it accesses deep awareness, calm acceptance, and loving-kindness...and also manages to make me feel like a better communicator and more confident in general. This technique has allowed me to give myself permission to take risks...at work, at play, and in my relationships with other people."- Erica Frankel, NYC

“For me, the two most powerful things that I’ve received from expandance so far, are experiencing what my body is capable of and wants to do - I had never been invited to move in that way before - and getting Divine Light into the body in a way that can be difficult to do if you’re not using the body.” - Caitlin Kelley, NYC, November 2013

"Living Forest, what a place! Everything about the place is perfect. The workshop was life changing, the location, the comfort of sitting in the workshop space, the views of the amazing jungle like trees surrounding the workshop space, with the odd howler monkey visiting! The passing exotic birds, the hospitality and warmth of the owner Johanna, and the natural swimming pool by the river, and as for the food! Deeelicious! A piece of paradise!" - Sharon, Ireland

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This is an advert for The Pershing Square Signature Center here in New York, and it's in many subway stations so I've been seeing it quite a bit recently. I love it. Regardless of what it's selling, it's a great reminder to check within; with my center, with my body, and to take a breath. In New York, and in many cities around the world, we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle, and it's a great idea to take a moment - even while running from one meeting to the next - to 'check in'.